It's Time
by trufflemores
Summary: 4x01. Blaine, after Kurt has left for New York. Kurt/Blaine. COMPLETE.


**Disclaimer**: I do not own Glee or any of its characters; Ryan Murphy and Co. hold that honor. I'm simply writing this for fun, not profit.

Blaine dropped his satchel to the floor, the soft sound of leather impacting carpet almost nonexistent in the quiet. He listened for the tell-tale noise of Cooper singing in the shower after lacrosse practice, belting out the lines of his favorite ensemble until Blaine hammered on the bathroom door just to get him to quiet down so he could think.

_"Just because my voice is ten times cooler than yours," Cooper began teasingly, one hand attacking Blaine's hair, ruffling it irreparably while the latter swatted at him._

_"Coop, Coop, _Cooper_, stop it, you ass," he laughed, trapped in a playful headlock. "You are such a jerk."_

_"You know you love me, little bro."_

Opening his eyes, Blaine looked around the untouched room, the open window letting in a mixture of cool autumn air and lukewarm sunlight. He made his way over to the nightstand, ignoring the lump in his throat as he gently, lovingly tilted one of the frames face-down.

_"I like it," Blaine said, lying belly-down on the bed while Kurt sighed and rolled up the black-and-white poster in front of him._

_"Brittany thinks it's too dull to grab anyone's attention."_

_"I think it expresses your inner suaveness perfectly," Blaine retorted, drawing out the last three words as he hauled himself to his feet and stepped over to Kurt, wrapping his arms around his neck. "You look amazing, by the way," he added, smiling._

_"You just want me to kiss you," Kurt murmured, rolling his eyes._

_Blaine tilted his head thoughtfully to one side, jutting out his lower lip in a playful pout. "Would you refuse if I said 'yes'?"_

_Kurt hummed, leaning forward to brush their lips together before cupping the back of Blaine's neck, pulling him in close. "I don't think I can say no to that," he breathed, his thumb gently nudging Blaine's lower lip._

Another frame followed, his fingertips lingering on the edge of it.

"_Ready, ready, ready? Okay, one, two - Cooper!"_

_Blaine yelped as his hair was violently ruffled, the camera tilting wildly as Cooper snapped a photo of the three of them at arm's length. "Beautiful!" he proclaimed, grabbing Blaine's face and giving him an exaggerated kiss on the cheek. "You, my friend, are a natural."_

_"You are the worst brother ever."_

_"I think it looks great," Kurt said dryly, laughing that high, adorably squeaking laugh of his. "Oh, god, this is totally going on your dresser."_

_"No, it's not!" Blaine protested._

He swallowed as he released the black frame, refusing to look back.

Wandering around the room slowly, he peeled a few books off the shelf, tossing them into an unused drawer haphazardly. Most of his drawers were empty, now. Blaine refused to think about it as he picked up one of Kurt's scarves and folded it slowly, setting it aside on the counter before making a post-it note to himself and tacking it on.

_"What are these?" Blaine asked, amused, as he wandered around Kurt's bedroom, peeling sticky-notes off various items carefully before putting them back in place._

_"They help me keep things organized," Kurt explained, picking up a blue one and setting it down. "Pink is for stay, red is for toss, green is for climate-controlled storage."_

_"What's blue?" Blaine asked, picking one off and smiling at the picture. "I love this one," he added._

_Kurt's smile was a little sad around the edges as he took the post-it note. "Blue means go," he said softly. "As in, it's coming with me to New York."_

_Blaine nodded, looking between Kurt and the post-it note thoughtfully. "What else is blue?" he asked, turning around to scan the room._

_He felt a gentle pressure on the back of his cardigan and knew without asking what Kurt had done. A soft smile curved his lips as he turned around, opening his arms to receive Kurt as the latter pressed against him, holding him close._

_"I meant it," he said softly, his voice just this side of choked, controlled with a whisper of effort. "I'm never saying goodbye to you."_

_"I'm never saying goodbye to you, either," Blaine echoed softly, kissing the side of his neck. "Ever. Ever. Ever," he emphasized each repetition with a gentle peck, feeling Kurt smile against his temple in response._

Blaine moved to the bed wordlessly, prying off his shoes before setting them aside. They were black dress shoes, unremarkable by appearance. With the same smooth motions, he pulled off the socks as well.

"_Do you ever wear socks?"_

_"Sometimes," Blaine said, picking up his medium drip and walking over to their usual table. "Why do you ask?"_

_"It just seems strange. I never suggested it to you. Did I?"_

_Blaine shook his head, amused at the tone of uncertainty in Kurt's voice. "You never suggested it, no," he assured. "I just ... I don't know. I don't have much time in the mornings, and socks are a nuisance."_

_"They're not if you wear them often enough," Kurt pointed out, a gently lilting tone to his voice as he tilted his coffee towards Blaine, sipping at it. "Are you going to share that?" he added, nodding at the biscotti Blaine had picked up._

_Blaine made a mock-affronted noise as he picked it up and took a huge bite from the end, shaking his head. "No way," he said, mouth full._

_Kurt rolled his eyes as he picked up the partially eaten biscotti and casually took a bite from the other end, closing his eyes with a satisfied sigh. "I may have all the tastes in fashion in this relationship, but you have amazing taste in food."_

_"I thought my sense of fashion was improving?" Blaine said, swallowing thickly. "You know. I've put together some of those outfits."_

_"Cardigans are one step above blazers, sweetie."_

Blaine tugged his iPhone out of his pocket, unlocking and scrolling through his messages absentmindedly.

"_You have to promise to text me every day we're in New York," Kurt said._

_"Of course," Blaine murmured, brushing his fingers up and down Kurt's arm soothingly. They were lying face-to-face, a familiar repose for them, this time on Kurt's bed. It was a rare treat: Kurt's parents were out of town and, after bribing Finn with food, they basically had the house to themselves. A refreshing change. Even so, it was moments like this Blaine treasured: just being able to look Kurt in the eye and know he was _his _just as deeply and sincerely and he was Kurt's._

_"Every day, Blaine," Kurt insisted, trying and failing to suppress a yawn._

_"I promise," Blaine murmured, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Go to sleep, KK."_

There were no new messages, Blaine realized. Nothing from Kurt. Nothing from Tina or Sam or Artie, either, which was a relief. Occasionally he got a text from Brittany which usually consisted of _How do you turn on the microwave? _or _I'm lonely; do you want to make out? _Mostly they were few and far between.

Just as he was about to set it aside, his phone vibrated. All but trembling with anticipation, he deflated when he realized it was just Marley, asking about the next Glee club practice. Typing back a response numbly - _Thursday after school _- he swallowed back the lump that was threatening to choke him and flopped back on the mattress, spreading his arms and closing his eyes, the phone clasped in his hands by the tips of his fingers.

He felt himself relax slightly even when it buzzed again, no doubt a cheerful_ Thanks so much! Can't wait to sing with you again! :) _Marley was a sweetheart and Blaine liked her, but no matter how friendly the New Directions were becoming (albeit Unique had threatened to show him the true definition of disparagement on several occasions for suggestions that he tone down the heels for actual practices), it wasn't the same.

_"I think I'm more excited than you guys are," Kurt said, his Lima Bean uniform smothering all resemblances to the Kurt Hummel Blaine knew and loved._

_"You are," Brittany assured, even while Blaine blathered on several useless excuses that Kurt saw through in a single, meaningful glance. Before Blaine could further assure him that times were changing and they were just going through an adjustment period, Kurt was pulled aside by his manager, another patron snappishly demanding his attention._

That's my boyfriend, _he thought, staring at the girl with unabashed disgust in his eyes._

_"Come on," Brittany said, tugging on his arm gently. "We should go."_

_"He can't talk to her like that," Blaine insisted under his breath, getting up to tell the girl the same._

_"You can't get him fired," Brittany reminded him softly. "Come on."_

_Blaine sighed, reluctantly following her to the door. His heart broke at Kurt's dismayed expression, weakly gesturing, 'I'll call you' as he followed Brittany out the door._

Blaine blinked slowly when he felt the phone vibrate in his hand again, staring at the ceiling. It was getting harder to just ignore the lump in his throat, he noticed absently, barely aware of his numb fingertips. The window was still propped open, a near-silent breeze pooling inward. Blaine didn't bother get up to shut it. If anyone felt like harassing him, he would almost be grateful for the distraction.

_"Hey, hey," Kurt said, grabbing his hand before he could sink it into the punching bag again._

_Blaine trembled with leftover adrenaline, struggling to go from boxing mode to normal with virtually no transition. "Kurt, I - "_

_"You're bleeding, Blaine," Kurt interjected, making a noise that was half-apology, half-disappointment as he worked intently on Blaine's gloves. He barely noticed Kurt's efforts through the ringing in his ears, the blood caked onto the backs of his hands unnoticed until then._

_"Oh my god," he said weakly, his knees threatening to give way._

_"Hey, hey, easy," Kurt ordered, steering him around to the bench and sitting him down. "It's fine, B. Really. You just cut your knuckles, it's nothing bad."_

_Blaine nodded a little even as his mind conjured images of another boy bleeding beside him from a head wound, his own head throbbing and his ribs aching with an intensity that bordered inhuman._

_He hissed softly when Kurt managed to work the gloves off, murmuring consolingly as he used a clean white towel to dab at the still bleeding scrapes._

_"I'm sorry," he said, needing to fill the silence with something other than Kurt's unspoken mixture of rebuke, compassion, and exasperation. "I ... I lost track of time."_

_"You can't keep doing this to yourself. Isn't there a better way?"_

_Blaine shook his head minutely, letting Kurt clean and wrap his fingers. "This ... this is better. I - I feel _human _again. Once I'm done. This time just ... took a little longer."_

_"What happened this time?" Kurt asked softly._

_"Sebastian," Blaine snorted, a slightly watery tone to it as he suppressed the sudden urge to just rage with suppressed emotion. "I can't believe he - he can just get away with almost blinding me and - "_

_"Shh, shh," Kurt hushed, pulling him close for a hug and hooking his chin over his shoulder. "You don't have to fight to get rid of those feelings, okay? We'll figure something out. Together."_

_"I can't always rely on you, Kurt," Blaine pointed out weakly, his hands curling into loose fists against Kurt's back. Kurt rubbed his softly, big, soothing circles._

_"Of course you can. I'm always here for you, B. Always. I don't care how far away we are."_

Blaine sniffed, rolling on his side and ignoring the tear-tracks on his face as he shut off his phone. Kurt was gone and living his dream and New York. It was exactly where he was meant to be, and Blaine had known it. If he had to strong-arm him into it a little, then so be it. Kurt had needed the push, and the number had been perfect for it.

_"It's time to begin, isn't it?_

_I get a little bit bigger but then_

_I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you understand?_

_That I'm never changing who I am."_

Listening to the silence around him, Blaine curled his fingers around his phone, almost clutching it to his chest. It had been the right decision. He'd _needed _to give Kurt that extra push to go. Not just for Kurt, but himself. He couldn't have lived with himself if he hadn't tried, and Kurt had accepted and been so happy for once as he prepared for the move, if fluttery and nervous as well.

_"Oh my god, I can't believe this is happening," he breathed, looking around his bedroom. "I'm actually going. To New York. Alone."_

_"Rachel's there," Blaine reminded, sitting on his bed and watching Kurt. "You know. In case you get lonely."_

_"This is insane," Kurt insisted, sitting down beside Blaine, his entire body trembling finely. "I - I can't do this, I can't -"_

_"Shh..." Blaine wrapped an arm around him tugging him close. "Of course you can, Kurt. You can do anything, remember?"_

_"Blaine, this is New York City, this isn't some - "_

_"This is your dream. This is where you want to be," Blaine interrupted softly, squeezing his shoulders. "And you're going to be amazing and have a great time and get scared and call home and your dad and I will be right here if you need us. Carole and Finn, too, except Finn already told me that he doesn't know about the whole 'sharing a warm glass of milk over Skype' thing," he added, smiling a little._

_Kurt chuckled, shaking his head before leaning it against Blaine's shoulder. "You really think I'm ready for this?"_

_Blaine tilted his head slightly to kiss his temple. "I know you are," he promised._

Blaine startled as he heard a soft knocking on the door jamb, lifting himself enough to look at the figure and the door and feeling his heart stop at the sight.

"You're - "

"Back early. I know." Kurt's smile was warm as he crossed the room, sinking onto the bed across from Blaine to his spot, lying down and looking at him as Blaine hastily scooted to make room, struck speechless with shock. "I took a late flight and thought I'd surprise you," he added softly, brushing some of Blaine's curls off his forehead. "Did you miss me?"

Blaine said nothing, just gaping noiselessly at him for several long, painful seconds before lurching forward and wrapping him in the tightest hug he could manage, Kurt laughing breathlessly above and next to and around him.

"I missed you so much," Kurt breathed, nuzzling the side of his hair. "New York is amazing but ... it can't compare to you."

"I love you," Blaine said, his voice even more choked than he thought possible. "I love you so, so, so much, Kurt - "

Kurt leaned forward and kissed him, effectively ending his tirade as Blaine relaxed, sinking into him. "I love you, too, B," Kurt said softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his nose. "Forever, okay?"

Blaine nodded, unable to speak as he just pulled himself closer and Kurt closer and listened to his breathing slow, their heartbeats close enough to converse in soft, meaningless rhythms. "I love you," Kurt repeated, peppering his face with the words. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

Catching his lips in a sleepy kiss, Blaine nuzzled closer to him, breathing him in. Their hands found each other without a word, fingers intertwining with the same seamless ease as before. Blaine closed his eyes, just holding onto Kurt.

"Thank you," he breathed.

"For what?" Kurt asked, soft and curious and almost asleep.

"For ... never saying goodbye."

Blaine felt him smile against his cheek this time. "Never," he agreed. It was a promise.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **All the Klaine feelings.

This takes place a few months after Kurt leaves, settles in at New York, etc. etc.

He comes back for a visit and surprises Blaine.

I hope you enjoyed!

Let me know?

**Review?**


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